The Skeptics Annotated Bible (172 page)

7
Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

(5.7)
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
The first commandment condemns those who worship any other than the biblical god.
9 How many gods are there?

8
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters
beneath the earth:

(5.8)
“Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters.”
106 Is it OK to make images?

9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for
I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me,

(5.9)
“I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
41 Are we punished for the sins of others?

10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

12
Keep the sabbath day
to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

(5.12)
“Keep the sabbath day.”
101 Is it necessary to keep the sabbath?

13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

(5.16-20) The (more or less) good commandments

16
Honour thy father and thy mother
, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

(5.16)
“Honour thy father and thy mother.”
107 How should parents be treated?
108 Is it OK to call your father (or anyone else) father?

17
Thou shalt not kill.

(5.17)
“Thou shalt not kill.”
109 To kill or not to kill

18
Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

(5.18)
“Neither shalt thou commit adultery.”
110 Is it wrong to commit adultery?

19
Neither shalt thou steal.

(5.19)
“Neither shalt thou steal.”
91 Is it wrong to steal?

20
Neither shalt thou bear false witness
against thy neighbour.

(5.20)
“Neither shalt thou bear false witness.”
86 Is it wrong to lie?

21
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife,
neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field,
or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.